


Pantherses (Luka Noir)

by paperinkquillpoet



Series: The Black Cat Trilogy [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Bee Kagami Tsurugi, Black Cat Luka Couffaine, F/M, Fox Alya Césaire | Rena Rouge, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is a Mess, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Snake Adrien Agreste | Aspik, Turtle Nino Lahiffe | Carapace, luka couffaine knows who ladybug is, the team struggles a lot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:42:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28894593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperinkquillpoet/pseuds/paperinkquillpoet
Summary: After the events of Kuroi Neko, Ladybug gives the black cat miraculous to Luka, and gives the snake miraculous to Adrien. As the heroes form a new team and struggle to keep identities secret, can they defeat Hawk Moth?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Chloé Bourgeois & Kagami Tsurugi, Chloé Bourgeois & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur, Juleka Couffaine/Rose Lavillant, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Kagami Tsurugi
Series: The Black Cat Trilogy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859914
Kudos: 7





	1. Visit

**Author's Note:**

> This is alive and happening, even though it's been a while. I kind of got stuck with the plot on this one and I might take a while to update it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette visits Luka for a Sunday morning breakfast.

Luka was waiting on the deck when Marinette arrived, almost tripping over her feet as she boarded the houseboat. She almost dropped the box of pastries, including cheese ones, she’d picked up from her parents’ bakery as a gift. Chat Noir’s ring was in her purse with Tikki, instead of on her finger, because it was powerful and reminded her too much of her old partner. Of course, with her unknowing new partner walking toward her, she knew the ring could give away her identity if it was on her hand one minute and on his the next.

“Hey, Marinette,” Luka greeted her warmly, kissing her on her cheek. “You’re right on time.”

“I’m an hour late,” Marinette said. She’d been keeping track, trying to think of an excuse besides fighting an akuma.

Luka laughed. “You’re never late with me. When you didn’t show up, I moved the start time.”

Marinette blushed. “Thank you. I hope I didn’t keep them waiting.”

“My mom kept Rose and Juleka busy with questions, as usual,” Luka informed her. “And snacks.”

Now Marinette laughed. “Let’s go join them,” she said, tentatively linking her arm through his.

“Right this way,” Luka said, escorting her into the dining area where Anarka was talking to the two girls. “Marinette is here,” Luka announced. “She brought her parents’ pastries.”

Marinette put the box down on the counter.

“Hi, Marinette!” Rose waved. “She finally realized her feelings for him,” she whispered excitedly and loudly to Juleka, who nodded. Luka had told Juleka this morning and warned her not to tell the rest of Marinette’s class yet. The warning was now repeated by Juleka to Rose.

“Good to see you again,” Anarka said. “Lunch is waiting, and I have some questions for you if you want to date Luka.”

“We’re not dating yet,” Marinette stammered, starting to ramble, “We just went out on two dates! And they got interrupted by akumas. He’s not my boyfriend. Although I want him to be. Maybe. I don’t know. I’ve been in love with Adrien for so long, and I still am. But Luka’s perfect and I love him and--”

Marinette broke off as Luka put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “Your song is off-key,” he said quietly. “We don’t have to be anything unless you’re sure.”

Looking up into his eyes, she nodded silently and thankfully, then went to sit at the table across from Rose. Following her, Luka sat across from Juleka. Anarka was at the head of the table with her children next to her on either side.

“How were your two dates?” Anarka asked, more slowly this time to avoid making Marinette panic. Now that everyone was settled, she began eating, and the rest of the group quickly followed. 

“They were good, although we got separated during the akuma battles,” Luka said. “It would have been nice to be by Marinette’s side, protecting her.” He turned to Marinette and pulled her close. She knew he had been by her side, protecting her, but he didn’t know that.

Luka’s mother shifted her gaze to Marinette. “What did you think of the dates?”

“I had fun. Luka really understands me. He played his guitar for me and it sounded perfect. After the akumas, he would find me and make sure I was okay, and I’d make sure he was okay.” As she spoke, Luka was looking at her, focusing on every word.

“You’re so sweet together,” Rose said. Juleka voiced her agreement.

“Thank you,” Luka said, while Marinette couldn’t find words to speak.

“Th-thank you,” Marinette stammered, cheeks reddening.

Anarka kept asking them questions until they finished eating. Despite gradually relaxing more, she was grateful to go with Luka back up on the deck.

Luka reclined on one of the lounge chairs on the deck and picked up his guitar. He edged over so Marinette could fit next to him on the chair. He began strumming a tune that sounded very familiar and personal to Marinette. Sharp and tight at first, the tune softened as she relaxed.

“You would look good in red,” Luka commented.

Marinette shot upright. “What?”

He reached over and picked up an abandoned red hat from the chair next to theirs, then put it on her head. She visibly relaxed. Luka took a picture and turned the phone around for her to look at. “See?”

“I should wear red more,” Marinette said, pretending like she didn’t have a red superhero costume.

“If you want to,” Luka replied. He kept plucking out a tune on his guitar, focusing on that. He’d noticed her reaction to the comment about wearing red, and the suspicions in his mind continued to solidify. “Want me to show you some chords?”

“Yes,” Marinette said, standing up. Standing behind her, Luka handed her the guitar and guided her fingers through the notes and chords. Marinette felt peaceful and happy, enjoying the lesson, from his steady, harmonious voice to his gentle patience to his fingers guiding hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Great! Chapter one done! only... at least twenty more to go...


	2. Pantherses

Marinette finally left after a while, when Rose and Juleka went out. She waited about half an hour, then transformed into Ladybug. She put the black cat miraculous in her yoyo for storage. Ladybug quickly returned to the houseboat, as quietly as she could, and found Luka.

“Back so soon?” Luka asked. Then he got serious. “Is there an akuma?”

“Oh, no,” Ladybug quickly reassured him.

“Oh,” Luka said. He quietly reached for his miraculous. “Thank you for lending it to me.” He placed it in her hand.

“No! That wasn’t quite what I had in mind, but thanks,” Ladybug said.

“What were you going to do?” He looked slightly more hopeful.

“I was going to make a small trade with you.” Ladybug opened her yoyo and pulled out the black cat miraculous, then put the snake miraculous inside. “Luka Couffaine, can I trust you with being the black cat?”

“I thought Kuroi Neko gave the miraculous back to Chat Noir,” Luka told her immediately, confusion evident on his face.

Ladybug nodded and looked at the ground. “But then I took it from him. I trust you with it more than I trust him now.” Now she met his eyes hopefully.

Looking surprised and deeply touched, he held out his hand. “I hope to live up to your expectations.”

“I hope you do too,” Ladybug whispered under her breath. She doubted herself, of course, because Chat Noir had been a good partner, and this was a big decision. If this went poorly then she’d failed, and she couldn’t find Chat Noir again. “I know you will,” she assured him with more confidence than she had. She put the ring in the palm of his hand.

Luka slipped the ring on his finger and looked at the kwami in front of him. “I’m Luka. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Plagg,” the kwami replied, looking at him. There was an awkward silence as he didn’t say it was nice to meet Luka.

Ladybug frowned. “Plagg, be nice. It’s not Luka’s fault he’s not your old holder. I won’t bring any cheese pastries for you if you don’t try.”

“Fine,” Plagg said. He’d befriended Kagami to be nice to Adrien, at least until he took a liking to her as a person. But Luka didn’t really know Adrien, and Plagg had no obligation to be nice except as a favor to Ladybug. And Ladybug had hurt Adrien by taking his miraculous away.

“Yes, and it’s just as nice to know you. I like cheese too,” Luka said, looking at Ladybug, who nodded subtly.

“I think I can get along with you,” Plagg decided. He’d try, at least. He had to. It helped that Luka liked cheese.

Luka smiled. “Can you teach me about my powers now?”

“Your power is Cataclysm. Your weapon is your baton, or staff. You say ‘Plagg, claws out’ to transform and ‘Plagg, claws in’ to transform back. Your baton has several other uses, which Ladybug can explain when you’re transformed.”

“Can I get cheese first?” Plagg asked.

“Actually, I have a leftover cheese pastry from this morning and my date with Marinette.”

“You do?” Ladybug pretended to be surprised, as if she hadn’t planned this. “Anything for me?”

“Haven’t you eaten already?” Luka asked, not rudely but instead almost knowingly. “I just have the one.”

“Oh, yeah. I had a big meal with my family,” Ladybug lied, letting Luka get the pastry from the other room.

When Luka returned, Plagg grabbed the pastry and devoured it. “That’s good. Now, you can transform.”

“Plagg, claws out!” Luka transformed before her, his hair turning black that faded into silver at the tips, his costume resembling Chat Noir’s but more stylish and without the bell. “How do I look?” He smiled expectantly at Ladybug.

“You look different,” Ladybug started, at a loss for words and surprised at the complete transformation. This was without a doubt in his favor, another thing she liked about him. “And good.”

“Cat got your tongue?” Luka asked, taking a step toward her.

Her face fell. He sounded like Chat Noir. Maybe the miraculous made people pun uncontrollably, although that didn’t explain Kuroi Neko.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, reading the expression of grief on her face. “That was a terrible joke to make, and jokes are not my thing, and I don’t mean to sound disloyal to Marinette.” He put his arms around her comfortingly. It felt like he was holding her as Marinette.

She leaned into his embrace. “Thanks.”

When he let go of her, he asked tentatively, “What are you going to do with the snake miraculous?”

“I’m going to give it to someone else who’s used it.” It didn’t hurt that she liked him a lot, despite what she had with Luka.

“Adrien?” Dedicated, interested in Marinette, and Ladybug’s first choice for the Snake, Luka felt a little defensive about him being chosen for his miraculous. Since he was her partner now though, permanent holder of the Black Cat miraculous, he didn’t feel too bad. Ladybug trusted him too, probably even more, to give him this kind of responsibility. Getting over the feeling of jealousy as quickly as he could, he continued, “You’re right, he’s good at using the miraculous. He’s had a lot of experience.”

Ladybug looked relieved that he approved. “Good. You used the snake miraculous for so long, so I’m glad you’re okay with Adrien using it again.”

“I trust your choices,” Luka told her. “I’ll stand by them.” Anything to help her and protect her.

With a thankful smile, she continued, “Then I’m going to give it to him now.”

“Can I come with you, at least part of the way?” Luka asked. “I want to test out my suit and my power and think of a name for myself.”

“Yeah, you can. Good idea.” She’d like a rooftop run with him. “Let’s think of a name first though.”

“That’s where my good ideas end,” Luka admitted. He didn’t have any name ideas beyond ‘Dark Cat’ or ‘Cat Three’ or anything of the sort.

“Maybe try to keep with the Viperion theme,” Ladybug suggested, trying to be creative. “Viper Hyperion, right?”

“What would I be? Cat God?” He grabbed his phone from the table and searched for Greek gods of destruction. “Perses.”

“And a cat now. A panther?” she suggested.

“Pantherses,” Luka decided. “Not as good as Viperion, but it’ll do. Let’s go for a run now.”

“I’ll leave you a few blocks from Adrien’s house, okay?” Ladybug said.

“Okay,” he agreed. Pantherses walked with her to the deck, and then they took off together.

The air whipped past them as they ran through Paris. Ladybug’s eyes sparkled every time she looked at him beside her. He looked at her whenever she wasn’t paying attention, studying her appearance and her focus. Everything about her was strong and beautiful.


End file.
